Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

SoapStone birdS

Soapstone carvings

of local birds on

columns stood in an

enclosure outside

Great Zimbabwe. one

of these birds has been

the national symbol

of Zimbabwe since the

country gained its

independence in 1980.

bantuS

Most of the

peoples of

southern africa

are related to

the bantus, who

originated in the

western part of the

continent between

3000 and 2000 bce. they had

reached southern africa by 400 ce.

Great ZiMbabwe

the stone city of Great Zimbabwe

was a major religious, political,

and trading center in southern

africa between the 11th and

14th centuries. it grew rich on

the proceeds of herding

cattle and mining gold,

copper, and iron. the

peoples of Great Zimbabwe

exported their produce to the

coastal port of Sofala in what is

now Mozambique and then up

the coast of africa to arabia.

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For Much oF itS hiStory, africa has been hidden from outsiders’ eyes.

the Sahara desert cuts off communication from north to south for all but the

hardiest traveler. the peoples of africa have therefore developed largely by

themselves. by about 2600 bce, rich and powerful empires such as ancient

egypt had arisen. the empires have disappeared, but they left behind

buildings and other clues to their existence. other african peoples left

records of their history in songs that have been passed down from parent to

child through countless generations. europeans remained ignorant of this

rich history until, during the 1400s, they explored the west coast. Soon they

were shipping thousands of africans to europe and the americas as slaves,

a “trade” that destroyed many traditional societies. during the late 1800s,

europeans penetrated the interior of africa and, within 20 years, had

carved up the continent between them. almost all

of africa remained under european control until

the 1950s, when the colonies began to gain

their independence.

today the peoples

of africa are free

of foreign control.

Thatched

buildings

City’s walls were made from

huge granite slabs.

Men armed

with spears and

shields guarded

the city’s walls.

benin

the west african kingdom of benin

reached the height of its power

between the 14th and 17th centuries.

its people traded ivory, pepper, palm

oil, and slaves with the portuguese.

they also excelled in casting realistic

figures in bronze. on the left is a

benin bronze mask.

AFRICA

HISTORY OF

Bantu speakers

originated here

and spread to

striped area.

Great enclosure at Great Zimbabwe

Cattle herder

Ivory

traders

Africa

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